VI seeking UK help to train nurses locally – Professor Ian Cumming
United Kingdom Healthcare Ambassador to the Overseas Territories Professor Ian Cumming said this was one of the requests coming from the territory.
Uk would 'very much' want to help
“Already actually in this visit is what more can we do, for example, to help train nurses here in the Virgin Islands, so people don’t have to go overseas to be trained as nurses,” Professor Cumming said in an interview with host of the Honestly Speaking Radio Programme, Claude O. Skelton-Cline, on June 8, 2021.
“Because once people go overseas to be trained it is quite hard to get them back again and if we can actually train locally in your excellent hospitals and health care facilities and your excellent trained nurses perhaps with some online support with the academic component we can grow our own here in the Virgin Islands,” he added.
He said he would “very much” want to help in that regard.
In April 2021, Government passed amendments to the Nurses and Midwives Bill to allow for the registering and licensing of nurses and midwives in the Virgin Islands.
The move was to bring the territory on par with other regional and international guidelines in that sector.
Health Minister Hon Carvin Malone (AL) said at the time of the introduction of the amendments to the Bill, that it would allow for the Nursing and Midwifery Council to consult on the establishment of educational programmes in nursing, ensure that training is linked to registration and licensure as well as the standard of practice that is in line with the standards set by the council for safe practice.
“The council will assist with educational institutions, hospitals, persons or organisations on matters pertaining to nursing, midwifery and assistive nursing education, training and practice, and to assist nursing schools and other educational institutions when requested in the development of curricula for nursing education. This will correct the current gap where persons trained at our local college will be considered for registration, certification by the council, opening up employment and possibilities to them at a wider scale,” Hon Malone had said.
19 Responses to “VI seeking UK help to train nurses locally – Professor Ian Cumming”
I applaud you for your suggestions. We also need better cooks, most of the food in the VI is most mucus forming food.
Getting local organic food needs more than agriculture at pari; most of the waste land could be planted during the raining seasons. People have land but do no farming, wont it be best to start leasing to farmers , who can actual plant the place during the raining season. Or plant fruit trees ,so that the VI can have a host of seasonal fruits. Stop wasting time with the imports and do something about the food industry. If you buy strawberry and don't know how to package it for the fridge it get spoil. Natural Caribbean fruits do not spoil that easily and do not need re- fridgeration.